macOS Process Creation: hdiutil Used to Attach or Mount Disk Images

Flags hdiutil usage on macOS when command lines indicate disk image attachment or mounting.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v2

Product: macos
Category: process_creation
Author: Omar Khaled (@beacon_exe) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2024-08-10
Updated: 2026-07-31

ATT&CK techniques

Initial Access → Collection

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
- T1566.001Spearphishing Attachment
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
- T1560.001Archive via Utility
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule flags macOS process executions where the hdiutil binary is invoked with command-line arguments containing disk image attachment or mounting indicators. Attackers may use built-in disk image tooling to access or stage files without introducing third-party binaries. Detection relies on process creation telemetry, specifically the executable path ending in /hdiutil and matching command-line substrings for attach or mount.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1560.001 — drag to rearrange

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Suspicious Regsvr32 Squiblydoo Remote Scriptlet Execution via Command Line (via process_creation)

Suspicious Archive Staged in Web Accessible Directory via tar

Suspicious Archive Staged in Web Root via tar on Ivanti EPMM

Suspicious Payload Staging in Public Libraries Directory via file_event

Suspicious macOS Data Staging via ditto to Temp Archive in Attacker Directory (via process_creation)

Possible Mamba 2FA AiTM Phishing URL Pattern

macOS Process Creation: hdiutil Used to Attach or Mount Disk Images

Pivot detection · T1560.001 · 9 related

Changelog

v2
Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
v1
No changelog recorded for this version.2026-07-30

Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.

macos-detect-hdiutil-disk-image-mounting-via-attach-or-mount-commands-bf241472

title: "macOS Process Creation: hdiutil Used to Attach or Mount Disk Images"
id: e45d8468-326c-46e8-b5e6-460168ce3cf2
status: test
description: This rule flags macOS process executions where the hdiutil binary is invoked with command-line arguments containing disk image attachment or mounting indicators. Attackers may use built-in disk image tooling to access or stage files without introducing third-party binaries. Detection relies on process creation telemetry, specifically the executable path ending in /hdiutil and matching command-line substrings for attach or mount.
references:
  - https://www.loobins.io/binaries/hdiutil/
  - https://www.sentinelone.com/blog/from-the-front-linesunsigned-macos-orat-malware-gambles-for-the-win/
  - https://ss64.com/mac/hdiutil.html
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/macos/process_creation/proc_creation_macos_hdiutil_mount.yml
author: Omar Khaled (@beacon_exe), Huntrule Team
date: 2024-08-10
tags:
  - attack.initial-access
  - attack.collection
  - attack.t1566.001
  - attack.t1560.001
logsource:
  product: macos
  category: process_creation
detection:
  selection:
    Image|endswith: /hdiutil
    CommandLine|contains:
      - "attach "
      - "mount "
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Legitimate usage of hdiutil by administrators and users.
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: bf241472-f014-4f01-a869-96f99330ca8c
    type: derived

Convert

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